Leuchtturm1917 vs Moleskine: The Definitive Notebook Comparison

This is the notebook world’s equivalent of Coke vs Pepsi, and people have opinions. Both are premium hardcover notebooks. Both cost around $20 for the A5 size. Both are sold in bookstores and stationery shops worldwide. But they’re meaningfully different in ways that matter for daily use.

I’ve used dozens of each over the years. Here’s what actually matters and which one wins in each category.

Paper Quality

Moleskine: 70 gsm ivory paper. It’s thin. With most ballpoints and gel pens, it’s fine—no bleed-through, minimal ghosting. But fountain pens and brush pens are a problem. Anything wetter than a Pilot G-2 will ghost noticeably, and some inks bleed through entirely. The paper feels slightly textured and has a warm ivory tone.

Leuchtturm1917: 80 gsm white paper. The extra 10 gsm makes a real difference. Ghosting still occurs with wet fountain pen inks, but it’s significantly less than Moleskine. Bleed-through is rare with most pens. The paper feels smoother and has a brighter, cooler white.

Winner: Leuchtturm1917. The 80 gsm paper handles a wider range of writing instruments. If you exclusively use ballpoints, the difference is negligible. If you use anything else, the Leuchtturm is meaningfully better.

For writers who use fountain pens specifically, neither notebook is ideal—check [INTERNAL: best-paper-for-fountain-pens] for notebooks with truly fountain-pen-friendly paper. But between these two, the Leuchtturm is closer.

Page Count

Moleskine Large (A5 equivalent): 240 pages Leuchtturm1917 A5: 251 pages

Nearly identical. Not a deciding factor.

Page Numbering and Index

Moleskine: Blank pages. No numbering. No index.

Leuchtturm1917: Every page is pre-numbered, and there’s a three-page table of contents at the front.

Winner: Leuchtturm1917, decisively. If you use your notebook as a Bullet Journal, a project reference, or any system that requires finding specific pages, the pre-numbering saves enormous time. Even for general journaling, being able to reference “see page 47” is invaluable.

This is the single feature that converts most Moleskine users. Numbering your own pages is tedious. Leuchtturm did it for you.

Bookmark Ribbons

Moleskine: One ribbon bookmark. Leuchtturm1917: Two ribbon bookmarks, different colors.

Winner: Leuchtturm1917. Two bookmarks let you mark both your current page and a reference page (like an ongoing list or project notes). Small feature, real convenience.

Cover Quality and Durability

Moleskine: The hardcover has a slightly softer feel with rounded corners. The elastic closure band is reliable. The cover’s finish is smooth and resists scuffing reasonably well. After heavy use, corners may show wear.

Leuchtturm1917: The hardcover feels slightly firmer. Corners are also rounded. The elastic closure is comparable. The cover shows wear patterns differently—some colors develop a slight fading or lightening with heavy use, which can look attractive or shabby depending on your perspective.

Winner: Tie. Both covers hold up well for the life of the notebook. Neither is significantly more durable. The Moleskine’s cover has a slightly more luxurious hand-feel, while the Leuchtturm feels more structured.

Color Selection

Moleskine: Available in black, plus a rotating selection of limited-edition colors. The standard black is by far the most available. Colored options can be harder to find.

Leuchtturm1917: Available in 20+ permanent colors, from muted tones (sage, anthracite, port red) to brights (lemon, azure, berry). Color selection is consistently available, not seasonal.

Winner: Leuchtturm1917. If you want anything other than black, the Leuchtturm selection is vastly superior. The color coding is also practical: use different colors for different projects or years.

Lay-Flat Capability

Moleskine: Opens flat with some pressure when new. After breaking in, it stays flat reliably. The binding is thread-sewn.

Leuchtturm1917: Opens flat more easily out of the box. The binding is also thread-sewn but feels slightly more flexible.

Winner: Slight edge to Leuchtturm1917. Both lay flat when properly broken in, but the Leuchtturm requires less coaxing. For writers who need their notebook completely flat (especially when writing on the left page), the Leuchtturm is slightly better out of the box.

Back Pocket

Moleskine: The expandable back pocket is a Moleskine signature. It’s generous and well-attached. It holds business cards, loose papers, receipts, and other flat items reliably.

Leuchtturm1917: Has a gusseted back pocket that’s functional but slightly smaller and less iconic. It does the job but doesn’t feel as sturdy.

Winner: Moleskine. The Moleskine pocket is better designed and more durable. If you use the back pocket frequently, this matters.

Ruling Options

Moleskine: Plain, ruled, dotted, and squared. The ruled option has 6mm line spacing.

Leuchtturm1917: Plain, ruled, dotted, and squared. The ruled option has 6mm line spacing. Also offers a “some lines and some dots” option in their Bullet Journal edition.

Winner: Tie. Identical core offerings. The Leuchtturm Bullet Journal edition is a nice bonus if that’s your system.

Price

At retail, both typically run $18-22 for the A5 hardcover. Moleskine is occasionally a dollar or two cheaper at discount retailers. Leuchtturm1917 price tends to be more consistent.

Winner: Tie. The price difference is negligible.

The Brand Factor

Moleskine trades heavily on heritage and literary association. Their marketing references Hemingway, Chatwin, and Picasso (though the connection to those historical notebooks is more marketing than reality—the original Moleskine manufacturer went out of business in 1986, and the current company was founded in 1997).

Leuchtturm1917 trades on functionality and the Bullet Journal community. Their reputation is more practical than romantic.

Neither brand factor affects the actual writing experience, but it’s worth knowing what you’re paying for—and that both brands charge a premium for brand recognition in addition to product quality.

The Verdict

Choose Leuchtturm1917 if:

You want pre-numbered pages and an index
You use fountain pens or wet inks
You want a specific color
You use a Bullet Journal system
You value practical features over brand cachet

Choose Moleskine if:

You use the back pocket heavily
You prefer the warmer ivory paper tone
You like the slightly softer cover feel
You find them on sale (they’re discounted more frequently)
The brand association genuinely brings you joy

For most writers and journalers making a first choice between these two, I’d recommend starting with the Leuchtturm1917. The page numbering and better paper tip the practical balance clearly. But I keep a Moleskine in my bag too—for the pocket, for the feel, and because sometimes a writing tool doesn’t need to win a comparison to deserve a place in your life.

For reviews of other notebooks in this category, see [INTERNAL: rhodia-notebooks-pads-review] and [INTERNAL: best-notebooks-for-journaling].